Packaging apparatus for folding panty-hose or other textile articles

ABSTRACT

Packaging apparatus for folding panty-hose or other textile articles and inserting same into container means comprises a reciprocable folding arm operable to draw an article through a slot in an article support surface into a channel, whereby to fold the article in half. The article is then pushed by inserting means into a second, transverse, channel, thus further folding the article. The folded article is discharged from the transverse channel into container means aligned therewith.

United States Patent [191 Marzocchi [451 Apr. 23, 1974 PACKAGING APPARATUS FOR FOLDING PANTY-IIOSE OR OTHER TEXTILE ARTICLES Franco Marzocchi, Cotignola, Italy Inventor:

Assignee: Societa Accomandita Seniplice M Saldatrice Rotative Automatiche di Giorgio Billi & Co., Forenze, Italy Filed: Apr. 20, 1972 Appl. No.: 245,812

Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 24, l97l Italy 3407/71 U.S. Cl. 53/63, 53/120 Int. Cl B65b 57/06, B65b- 63/04 Field of Search... 53/63, 120; 270/67, 84

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,866,452 7/1932 Cogswell 53/120 X l2/l9-lO Cox 53/l20 l0/l962 Horsting 53/120 Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Attorney, Agent, or FirmWaters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT Packaging apparatus for folding panty-hose or other textile articles and inserting same into container means comprises a reciprocable folding arm operable to draw an article through a slot in an article support surface into a channel, whereby to fold the article in half. The article is then pushed by inserting means into a second, transverse, channel, thus further folding the article. The folded article is discharged from the transverse channel into container means aligned therewith.

4 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PACKAGING APPARATUS FOR FOLDING PANTY-I-IOSE OR OTHER TEXTILE ARTICLES FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to packaging apparatus for folding an article, for example panty hose or othertextile article, and inserting same. into a box or other container means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided in packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the article into container means, means defining a support surface for a said article, said surface having a .slot, means defining a first channel in communication movable into an engaged position above the slot in the support surface whereby, during movement of the first carriage means in one direction, to engage a said article on said support surface and to push the article through the slot into the first channel so as to fold the article in half, and the said arm means being movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the said article in the first channel, second carriage means reciprocable parallel to the second channel, insertingmeans carried by the second carriage means and opera tive, during movement of the second carriage means in one direction, to engage the said article in the first channel and to push the article through the second channel whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the article into a said container means aligned with the said outlet of the second channel, and means for reciprocating said first and second carriage means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawing, in which:

FIG. I is an elevation, partially in section, of packaging apparatus in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 2 is a section taken on linelI-II of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown in the drawing, the apparatus comprises a base or frame 1 supporting drive and conveying means for boxes 4 arranged to be packaged with panty-hose or like textile articles. The conveying means includes an endless chain 2 extending around two sprockets ro-' tatable about horizontal axes and arranged in such a manner that the upper run of the chain 2 is horizontal. Containers 3, arranged to house the boxes 4 are fast with the chain 2 and are regularly spaced from one another along the chain 2. Suitably the containers 3 are substantially 'U-shaped in cross-section, the distance between the sides of the containers 3 being equal to the width of the boxes 4, and the length of the containers 3 being less than that of the boxes 4 so that the ends of each box 4 project beyond the end edges of the associated containers 3. Automatic means, which deposit and pick up the boxes 4 from the containers 3, are provided; such means are known per se and are not illustrated. A frame 5 is'integral with the base I, and in the lower section of the frame 5 there is secured, by means of three spacers 6, a trapezoidal-shaped plate 7. The

frame 5 is stiffened by means of a substantially L- shaped stirrup 8 anchored at its ends to an oblique side of the frame 5 and to the base 1. The plate 7 carries a shaft 9 on which there is keyed a cam 10 and a crank 11, the cam 10 and the crank 11 lying on opposite sides of the plate 7. The shaft 9 is continually driven from a driving pinion 13 via an endless chain 12 engaged with a pinion or sprocket (not shown keyed to the shaft 9.

The crank 11 co-operates with a connecting rod 14 pivotal on a pin 15 extending perpendicularly from the plate 7. For this purpose, the crank 11 presents a pin 16 which is engaged with a longitudinal groove 17 in the connecting rod 14 whereby when the shaft 9 is rotating, the connecting rod 14 oscillates about the pin 15. A stay rod 18 extends between the free end portion of the connecting rod 14 and a carriage 19 carrying an arm 20 in the form of an L-shaped rod. The carriage 19, under the action of the connecting rod 14, is movable along a bar 21 and carries a guide pin 22 slidable between guide rails 23 extending parallel to the bar 21. A rod 24, likewise extending parallel to the bar 21, carries a pair of adjustable stops 25, 26, which determine, as hereinafter described, the motion of the arm 20. As

' can-be seen from FIG. 2, the carriage 19 is formed by operates with an additional connecting rod 32, pivotally mounted on the plate 7 by means (not shown), and carrying at its free end portion an idle pinion 33; a chain 34 extends around the pinion 33, the chain being linked at 35 to the frame 5 and to a gusset plate 36 of a carriage 37. The carriage 37 is square-sectioned and includes a bush 38, from which an arm 39 extends downwardly. The bush 38 is slidable along the horizontal bar 40 secured to the frame 5. The arm '39 carries a clamp 41 which retains a laminar or sword-like element 42 arranged to introduce the article into the box 4, as will be described hereinafter. At the lower end portion of the arm 39 there is also secured a pin 43 which is engaged in a rectilinear slot or groove 44 of a fillet45 integral with the frame 5 and extending parallel to the bar 40, The carriage 37, is moved towards the right (as viewed in FIG. 1) by the cam 10 and the connecting rod 32, such movement being opposed by resilient biasing means. Suitably, the biasing means comprises a cylindrical helical spring 46, having one end adjacent the right hand anchoring of the bar 40 and its opposite end secured to a chain 47 which is secured to the gusset plate 36 and which extends around a pinion 48 supported in an idle mannerby the frame 5. The spring 46 also urges the connecting rod 32 into engagement with the cam. 10.

A support surface 49 on which the article to be packaged are laid, has a slot 50 with rounded edges, which are extended downwardly parallel to the bar 21 and to the rails 23, to form an oblique channel 51 in which a tag or leaf spring 52 is located. The spring 52 is arranged to retain the articles so as to prevent the articles from falling through the channel 51 under the influence of gravity. A transverse, convergent channel 53 extends from the lower end of the channel 51 horizontally towards the conveying means. The channel 53 is aligned with the boxes 4 and with the element 42. A channel 54 aligned with the channel 51 and provided with an additional tag or leaf spring 55 extends downwardly from the channel.

The operation of the apparatus will now be described with reference to the packaging of panty-hose. Pantyhose A already folded with the tubular portions thereof (i.e. the leg portions)lying one on the other, is placed on the support surface 49 such that its center portion (which corresponds to the position of the knee) lies opposite the slot 50. At each cycle of the apparatus when the carriage 19 is being moved upwardly by the crank 11 via the connecting rod 14, thearm 20 owing to the previous engagement of the stop 30 with the stop is in its disengaged position in which it is located externally of the channels 51, 54. The arm 20 at the end portion of its upward movement is pivoted upon engagement between the stop 31 and the stop 26, to lie above the slot 50 and thus above the panty-hose A on the support surface 49. During its subsequent downwards movement, the arm 20 engages the panty-hose and draws it through the slot 50 into the channels 51 and 54, the panty-hose being folded in half by this movement. The panty-hose is retained in the channels 51, 54 by the leaf springs 52 and 55. When the stop engages the stop 25 at the end portion of the downwards movement of the arm 20, the arm 20 is pivoted from its engaged position within the channels 51, 54 into its disengaged position. As soon as the arm 20 has been brought into its disengaged position, the carriage 37, by the action of the cam 10 on the connecting rod 32, begins to move towards the right (as viewed in PK]. 1) and the element 42 engages the panty-hose which is located partly in the channel 51 and partly in the channel 54 and transfers it, folding it again in half, into the transverse channel 53 and thence into a box 4. While the element. 42 is operating thus, the arm 20 is moved upwardly to a position above the surface 49 and the cycle is repeated; clearly during the descent of the arm 20, the element 42 will already have been returned into its retracted position.

The apparatus is effective only when the presence of the boxes, on the conveying means, has been determined. For this purpose, the stop 26 is operative under the action of an electromagnet 56, responsive to control members arranged to detect the presence or absence of the boxes on the conveying means so as to move the stop 26 into, or out of, the path of movement of the stop 31. In particular, if a box 4 which is to receive the panty-hose lying on the support surface 49, is absent, the electromagnet 56 moves the stop 26 out of the path of movement of the stop 31, whereby the arm 20 is not moved into its engaged position above the panty-hose on the surface 49 and accomplishes an idle stroke during the following cycle of operation of the apparatus.

Thus, as particularly described, the apparatus folds the articles several times to reduce them to dimensions which allow the transfer thereof into a box. The apparatus also prevents the folding and feed of the articles when the boxes are absent, and thus jamming of the apparatus due to the articles falling directly onto the conveying means is obviated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into containermeans: means defining a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel having an outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the article on said surface and to push the article through said slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said second carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; and means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; wherein said reciprocating means includes continously driven crank means, a connecting rod pivotal about a fixed axis and oscillated by said .crank means, and means linking said connecting rod to said first carriage means.

2. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into container means: means defining a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel having an outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the article on said surface and to push the article through said slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said second carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; and means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; wherein said reciprocating means includes cam means, a connecting rod pivotal about a fixed axis and oscillated by said cam means, sprocket means rotatable on said connecting rod, chain means extending around said sprocket means, one end portion of said chain means being fixedly anchored while the other end portion thereof is connected to said second carriage means, and resilient biasing means resisting movement of said second carriage means by said chain means and biasing said connecting rod into engagement with said cam means.

3. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into container means: means definin g a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel having an outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the article on said surface and to push the article through said slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said second carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; and means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; wherein said arm means is pivotal between the engaged and the disengaged positions; the apparatus further comprising stop means engaged by said arm means during the end portion of each stroke of said first carriage means, to pivot arm means from one of its engaged and disengaged positions to the other position.

4. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into container means: means defining a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel havingan outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the article on said surface and to push the article through said' slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said second carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; first stop means engaged by said arm means during movement of said first carriagemeans in the one direction so as to move said arm means from the engaged to the disengaged position; second stop means engaged by said arm means during movement of said first carriage means in the opposite direction to move said arm means from the disengaged to the engaged position; and detector means responsive to the absence of said container means adjacent said outlet of the second channel, to render said second stop means inoperative. 

1. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into container means: means defining a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel having an outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the arTicle on said surface and to push the article through said slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said second carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; and means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; wherein said reciprocating means includes continously driven crank means, a connecting rod pivotal about a fixed axis and oscillated by said crank means, and means linking said connecting rod to said first carriage means.
 2. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into container means: means defining a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel having an outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the article on said surface and to push the article through said slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said second carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; and means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; wherein said reciprocating means includes cam means, a connecting rod pivotal about a fixed axis and oscillated by said cam means, sprocket means rotatable on said connecting rod, chain means extending around said sprocket means, one end portion of said chain means being fixedly anchored while the other end portion thereof is connected to said second carriage means, and resilient biasing means resisting movement of said second carriage means by said chain means and biasing said connecting rod into engagement with said cam means.
 3. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into container means: means defining a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel having an outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the article on said surface and to push the article through said slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said secoNd carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; and means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; wherein said arm means is pivotal between the engaged and the disengaged positions; the apparatus further comprising stop means engaged by said arm means during the end portion of each stroke of said first carriage means, to pivot arm means from one of its engaged and disengaged positions to the other position.
 4. In a packaging apparatus for folding an article and inserting the same into container means: means defining a support surface for the article, said surface having a slot; means defining a first channel in communication with said slot; means defining a second channel extending transversely from said first channel at a position intermediate the ends thereof, said second channel having an outlet aligned with said container means; first carriage means reciprocable parallel to said first channel; arm means carried by said first carriage means and movable into an engaged position above said slot in said support surface whereby, during movement of said first carriage means in one direction, to engage the article on said surface and to push the article through said slot into said first channel, so as to fold the article in half, said arm means being also movable into a disengaged position withdrawn from engagement with the article in said first channel; second carriage means reciprocable parallel to said second channel; inserting means carried by said second carriage means and operative, during movement of said second carriage means in one direction, to engage the article in said first channel and to push the article through said second channel, whereby to further fold the article and to discharge the same into said container means, aligned with said outlet of the second channel; means for reciprocating said first and said second carriage means; first stop means engaged by said arm means during movement of said first carriage means in the one direction so as to move said arm means from the engaged to the disengaged position; second stop means engaged by said arm means during movement of said first carriage means in the opposite direction to move said arm means from the disengaged to the engaged position; and detector means responsive to the absence of said container means adjacent said outlet of the second channel, to render said second stop means inoperative. 